Arrow fletching system



g- 1967 H. A. BITZENBURGER 3,333,842

ARROW FLETCHING SYSTEM Filed Oct. 7 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 36 58 I I INVENTOR. FIG 5 A Q HENRYA. BITZENBURGER k 64 2s 34 7s BY ATTORNEYS g- 1957 H. A. BITZENBURGER 3,333,842

ARROW FLETCHING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 7, 1963 mm A n 6 w p I l ATTORNEYS United States Patent F 3,333,842 ARROW FLETCHING SYSTEM Henry A. Bitzenburger, 8920 Arrington Ave., Downey, Calif. 90240 Filed Oct. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 314,403 6 Claims. (Cl. 269-38) This invention relates generally to the manufacture of arrows for archery purposes, and more particularly to a system for precision alignment and holding of fletching vanes or feathers onto an arrow shaft while fletching adhesive is curing.

The participants interest in the modern sport of archery depends in large measure upon the availability at relatively low cost of consistently accurate arrows. The accuracy aspect of this requirement in turn depends primarily upon straight arrow shafts and precise fletching; .while the economic factor depends upon the existence of reasonably rapid mass production precision fletching techniques and equipment. Precision fietching' by hand, or elementary tools, has long been available; the primary object of the present invention being to provide a precision system for fletching arrows inexpensively with greater production speed and with greater repeatable consistent accuracy than heretofore possible.

In the past, attempts to improve mass production fletching techniques in speed and consistency have resulted in equipment which comprised one or both goals and typically were bulky, difficult or impossible for operation by unskilled persons, or were impracticably expensive initially. Other attempts frequently provided tools which were not versatile, without troublesome changes, to provide vane arrangements such as three versus four feathers, or helical versus straight feathers, or to handle different shaft diameters.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved arrow fletching system which is not subject to these and other disadvantages of the prior art. I

It is another object to provide such a system which is exceedingly versatile and relatively simple to operate at high speed in an error-proof manner without operator fatigue.

It is another object to provide such a system which is aesthetically attractive and compact and whereby larger numbers of them may be mounted on a turntable without aesthetic or operative compromise.

It is another object to provide such a fletching system which is readily manufactured with very few component parts and with excellent tolerances, by low cost die cast- .ing techniques,

which lies in a plane parallel to the arrow shaft to be fietched, the latter being cradled by the frame at a 45 angle of inclination in the vertical plane, and inclined at -45 to the vertical. A fletching clamp which magnetically releasably holds a feather clamp adjacent the arrow shaft is supported slidingly adjustably on the reference surface. Finger operable low profile rotary knobs are provided for controlling the position of the fletching head,

and thereby the feather clamps and feathers, with respect to the arrow shaft.

The 45 angle. of the reference plane contributes to the rapid system operation, greater operator visibility of the work, and greater over-all compactness of the system.

Also supported by the frame member in axial align- :ment with the arrow shaft is a rotatable nock receiver which'is ball and detent indexed to provide fool-proof 3,333,842 Patented Aug. 1, 1967 indexing for all common feather orientations and arrangements.

Further details of these and other novel features and their operation, as well as additional objects and advantages of the invention, will become apparent and be best understood from a consideration of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings are all presented by way of an illustrative example only, and in which:

'FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one example of an arrow fletching system constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1 taken along the lines 2-2 thereof;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the structure illus trated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded rear elevational view of the system shown in the previous figures;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the structure illustrated in FIG. 3 taken along the lines 5-5 thereof;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the structure illustrated in FIG- 3 taken along the lines 6-6 thereof;

FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are normal views of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 5 taken along the direction of arrows 7, 8 thereof; and

FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 are cross-sectional views of axially adjacent portions of the structure shown in FIG. 6 taken along the reference lines 9-9, 10-10, and 11-11 thereof, respectively.

Referring to the figures in more detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example only and for purposes of illustrative discussion, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and structural concepts of the invention. In particular, no attempt is made to show structural details of the apparatus in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art of archery manufacture how the several forms of the invention may be constructed and embodied in practice. In addition, the detailed showing is not be taken as a limitation upon the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims forming along with the drawings a part of this specification.

In FIG. 1 the example of the arrow fletching system shown includes a frame member 20 having a base portion 22 which is normally disposed in a horizontal plane as on a turntable surface. Extending upwardly from the base portion 22 is a curved supporting arm 24 which projects forwardly, near its upward end, as shown, for purposes of rigidly supporting the upper end of a fletching arm 26.

Projecting upwardly from the rear portion of the base portion 22 is a second supporting arm 28, the upper end of. which rigidly supports the lower end of the fletching arm 26. Also formed integrally with the upper end of the forward supporting arm 24 is an arrow shaft cradle 30, 60 shown more clearly in subsequent figures. In a similar manner, a mock receiver housing 32 is formed integrally with the upper portion of the rear or second supporting arm 28.

It is to be noted that in this example of the invention the supporting arms 24, 28 and the direction of elongation of the fletching arm 26 all lie generally in the same, vertical plane, and that the direction of elongation of the fletching arm 26 is inclined, within that plane, at an angle of approximately 45 from the horizontal. It should be understood that this angle is clearly somewhat arbitrary and may be altered by several degrees without departing from the scope of the invention.

The fletching arm 26 is formed with a substantially planar referencing surface 34, the edge of which appears in this figure and which is parallel to the direction of elongation of the fletching arm 26 and inclined at an angle of approximately '45 with respect to the plane of the drawing as will be shown more clearly in the subsequent figures. Again, the angle'of the reference surface with respect to the plane of the paper or in actuality with the vertical plane previously mentioned, is somewhat arbitrary and may be varied within the scope of the invention.

Mounted slidably on the referencing surface 34 is a fletching head 36 which in turn carries a feather clamp holding magnet 38 for positioning and holding a permanent magnetic feather clamp in a desired orientation with respect to the arrow shaft to be fletched. The fletching head 36 is slidably secured to the planar referencing surface 34 through a system of pivot pins two of which pass through manually rotatable positioning knobs 40, 42, through the fletching head 36 itself and into the fletching arm 26 which is reinforced for that purpose by reinforcing blocks 44 which may be formed integrally with the die cast frame member 20.

Referring to FIG. 2, the illustration presented is a cross-sectional view of the structure of FIG. 1 taken along a plane which is perpendicular to the direction of the elongation of the fletching arm 26. Accordingly, from this angle the observer is looking along the length of the arrow shaft 46 to be fletched and obliquely down upon the base portion 22 of the frame'member 20. The lower portion of the first supporting arm 24 is shown in cross-section, while the rear or the second supporting arm 28 is shown substantially in frontal elevation. The substantially cylindrical nock receiver housing 32 is shown in an end-on view. The cross-sectional view of the fletching arm 26 illustrates the manner in which the reference surface 34 is inclined parallel to the axis of the shaft 46 but oriented dihedrally at 45 to the vertical. The fletching head 36 is shown mounted on the referencing surface and includes the mag net 38 secured therein by a machine screw 48. The magnet 38 is U-shaped and is formed with a pair of clamp holding faces 50 which are perpendicular to the plane of the referencing surface and to which a paramagnetic feather clamp 52 may be releasably held for positioning a feather 54 precisely properly with respect to the surface of the arrow shaft 46. For clarity of presentation of the remainder of the fletching system, the feather clamp 52 and the feather 54 are shown in dotted lines.

In the rear elevational view of FIG. 3, a large portion of the adjustable operating controls of the apparatus are shown in perspective in much the same manner as would be viewed by an operator. For example, the fletching arm 26 is seen in perspective and its inclination about the axis of the arrow shaft 46 to an angle of approximately 45 from the vertical and the fletching head 36 are'illu strated. The location of the positioning knobs 40, 42 on the fletching head by which they are carried is shown in this figure although their operation will be discussed below. The disposition of the feather clamp holding magnet faces with respect to the arrow shaft 46 are also shown in a perspective manner. The arrow shaft cradle 30 includes an automatic shaft centering V-notch in its lower central portion whereby the arrow shaft may be placed therein and centered automatically regardless of its diameter. Again, the neck receiver housing 32 is shown but its structural and operational details will be discussed below.

It may be noted 'in connection with FIG. 3, that while the supporting arms and the fletching arm 26 and the arrow 46 remain substantially in a vertical plane, the

operator is able, without continual and fatiguing shifting of his head from side to side, to view the controls on the fletching head and the magnet while at the same time watch the flow of the fletching adhesive and the disposition of the feather, thus contributing to a faster and more accurate fletching throughout a longer working shift.

With reference to FIG. 4, it may be seen that the planar referencing surface 34 is relieved from the upper surface of the fletching arm 26 to form a' pair of retainingshoulders 58, one only of which appears in'the figure, which guide the fletching head 36 in its lateral movement and adjustment across the planar surface substantially perpendicularly to the direction of elongation of the fletching arm 26. A pair of pivot pins 60, '62 are threaded into threaded bores 60', 62' which are spaced longitudinally on the planar surface 34 and oriented perpendicularly with respect to the plane of the surface 34. At'the same longitudinal spacing, a pair of pin receiving slots 64, 66 are formed through the body of the fletching head 36. The lateral elongation of the slots 64, 66 indicates the magnitude of lateral displacement permitted by the respective ends of the fletching head 36.

Longitudinally spaced closely to each of the pin receiving slots is a corresponding second pivot pin 68, 70, respectively, which are carried by the fletching head 36. The rotary positioning knobs 40, 42 are each centrally bored, not shown in this figure, to receive rotationally a respective one of the second pivot pins 68, 70. When the knobs are implaced over these pivot pins the knobs are free to rotate within limits permitted by radially elongated pin receiving slots 72, 74 which are formed off-center as shown through the entire thickness of the knobs and through which the threaded pivot pins 60, 62 pass. The heads of the pivot pins 60, 62am adequately sized to retain the knobs 40, 42 and, thereby, the fletching head 36 against the planar surface 34 of the fletching arm 26 in a manner to permit its lateral sliding thereacross while not permitting any appreciable movement normal thereto.

In FIG. 5 the relationships of the positioning knobs are shown in more detail, and reference is now made thereto. The rotary positioning knob 40 is shown pivot ally mounted upon the pivot pin 68 which in turn is held and carried by the fletching head 36 by virtue of a pressfit between the pin and a bore 76 formed in the latter. The head assembly is carried by the fletching arm 26 which is relieved as indicated earlier to form a planar referencing surface 34 and a sliding retaining shoulder 58. The positioning knob 40, as well as the fletching head 36 is secured slidably to the fletching arm 26 by the pivot pin 60 which is threaded into the bore 60 which, as indicated in connect-ion with FIG. 1, is backed up by the reinforcing block 44. The radially extending slots 72in the positioning knob 40 and the laterally extending slot 64 in the fletching head body for providingthe sliding freedom of movement are shown in detail. Again, a portion of the U-shaped holding magnet 38 is illustrated."

In operation, it may be seen that if the pivoted pin 60 is slightly loosened from its threading into the bore 60'- the positioning knob 40 may be rotated about the pivot pin 68 which will cause a lateral translation of the assembly with respect to the position of the pivot pin 60. When the desired lateral position has been achieved, the pivot pin 60 may be tightened as a locking means for securing any rotation of the positioning knob and thereby any lateral movement'of the fletching head 36 with respect to the fletching arm 26. V V Further reference to the detailed operation of the rotary positioning knobs will be made in the subsequent figures. Referring again to FIG. 4, the nock receiver housing 32 is shown in its concentric position about the axis 77 of the arrow shaft to be fletched. Within the housing 3 2, see also 6, is disposed a nock receiver cylinder 78 which is retained therein by a retaining shoulder 80 at the forward end of the housing 32 and by a spring loaded ball 82 which is urged radially inwardly against an annular retaining channel 84 by a set screw 86 threaded into and secured by the housing 32. The neck receiver cylinder 78 is recessed or bored from its forward end or has a transverse vane 88 implaced therein for purposes of indexing and holding and centering the rear portion or neck of the arrow. The vane is V-notched, as'shown, and, due to the inclination of the shaft of the arrow to be fletched, the force of gravity continually maintains the centering of the arrow nock in the V-notched vane 88. The nock receiver cylinder 78 also includes a rearwardly extending finger grippable portion 90 which is utilized by the operator to rotate the neck receiver cylinder to the desired differentangular orientations for fletching of the feathers on the arrow shaft. p

The outer cylindrical surface of the nock receiver cylinder within the housing 32 is formed to provide, in this example, a series of three different sets of axially spaced detents. Each of the sets of detents are arranged in an angular distribution about the cylindrical surface at a par ticular axial location. A first set 94 are spaced equally about the circular periphery of the cylinder at an angular spacing of 120. Thesecond set 96 in this example are equally spaced at 90 intervals about the circular peripheryof the cylinder, while the third set 98 are arranged in 75 by 105 intervals.

1 Each of the sets of detents is associated 'th a corresponding set screw and spring biased ball 94', 96', 98', which are housed and retained within the. housing 32 at axial spacings which correspond to the'axial-disposition of the series of detents on the cylinder. In operation, the operator engages a particular one of the ball and detent sets by threading the appropriate set screw inwardly and relieving any radial force on the balls ofthe other two sets. By this means, the operator finds the precise desired angle for rotation of the shaft by feeling the abrupt frictional stops provided by the cooperation of the desired ball and detent set.

Referring to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the invention is illustrated by viewing the example of the previous figures in a direction normal .to the referencing surface 34 on the fletching arm 26. In these views, the fletching head 36 and the positioning knobs 40, 42 are shown in detail as assembled. As noted by the indicia on the knobs, rotating either of them to the left or to the right moves that respective end of the fletching head also to the left or to the right. The small spacing of the two pins associated with each of the knobs provides a marked mechanical advantage so that the desired adjustment may be attained in a Vernierlike fashion slowly and precisely. Each of the positioning knobs has associated with it-the first pivot pin 60 which secures the head assembly to the arm 26 and the second pivot pin 68 which pivotally mounts the positioning knob onto the fletching head 36 as described in more detail in connection with FIG. 5. The annular orientation of the plane of the supporting arms 24, 28 at 45 dihedrally with the plane of the fletching head 36 is again indicated in a perspective manner for clarity.

Referring specifically to FIG. 7, the operation of the fletching system for placing feathers, or other vanes, at 120 angular intervals about the arrow shaft 46 and in a straight line thereon, as opposed to a helical or spiral arrangement, is illustrated. Note that indicia 100, 102 scribed on the ends of the fletching head 36 may be visually referenced to matching indicia C, H on the stationary fletching arm 26. When the indicia 100, 102 are aligned with the indicia C at both ends, the feather 54 is centered precisely along the length of the arrow shaft 46. When, however, the indicia 100, 102 are aligned with the H indicia as indicated in FIG. 8, the feather 54 is applied in a helical orientation onto the surface of the arrow shaft 46. Note also in FIG. 8 that the ball and detent set-screws are disposed in a manner to engage the 90 angular distribution set. In other words, while the configuration of FIG. 7 is that specified for manufacturing arrows having three straight feathers thereon, the configuration of FIG. 8 is specified for spiral fletching of four feathers on the arrow shaft.

Referring to FIG. 9, FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, cross-sectional views through the three different ball and detent sets of the nock receiver assembly are shown. In each of the figures, the nock receiver housing 32 is shown ,about' the nock receiver cylinder 78 which includes .the arrow indexing vane 88. p I Q In FIG. 9 the ball and. detent set 94 is illustrated'in which the detents areangularly spaced evenly by 120. The apparent failure of symmetry between the vane 88 and the distribution of the detents about the circular periphery of the cylinder 78 is caused by the approximate 45 angularv displacement ,of the feather clamp as held by the magnet 38 which respect to the vertical plane in which the spring biasing set screws 94', 96', 98 are disposed. Similarly, with reference to FIG. 10, the set screw 96 is off-set by approximately 45 from the angular'orientation of the feather 54 being appliedtothe arrow shaft.

Referring to FIG. 11, the 75 by distribution of the detents 98 about the cylinder 78 is shown. Note that two of the feathers will be spaced by 75 while the alternate ones Will be spaced by 105.

Again it is stressed that the particular angles for the direction of the arrow shaft being fletched and the reference surface on the fletching arm 26 may be adjusted and adapted to different applications as desired without departing from the scope of the invention. Similarly, the particular angular distributions of the. ball and detent sets may be altered as desired; for example, different angular orientations may be used or a different plurality of sets of angular orientations may be utilized.

There has thus been disclosed an example of an arrow fletching system which achieves the objectives and exhibits the advantages set forth hereinabove.

What is claimed is: v

1. An arrow fletching system comprising:

, a frame structure having,

a horizontally disposed base portion,

a first supporting arm carried by said base portion and extending upwardly therefrom by a predetermined distance,

a second supporting arm disposed forwardly of said first arm and extending upwardly therefrom by a distance significantly greater than said predetermined distance, I

an elongated fletching arm supported between the upper portions of said first and second arms and having a direction of elongation which is inclined a fletching shaft angle with respect to said base portion, Where said fletching shaft angle approximately definesthe direction of pointing of an" arrow being fletched'said fletching arm having a head referencing planar surface disposed in a plane parallel to said direction of arrow pointing and inclined from the vertical by approximately 45;

a fletching head, and

means for adjustably slidingly supporting said head on said referencing planar surface and including disposed at longitudinally spaced positions along said elongated fletching arm a pair of pivot pin members Whose axes are normal to said planar surface and whose lateral position is stationary with respect thereto,

a pair of second pivot members related one to one to said pivot pin members and carried by said head, each disposed at points thereon longitudinally separated from said related pivot pin members, and

rotary means for laterally moving individual ends of said head across said planar surface, said rotary means being carried by said head and pivoted by said second pivot members and slidingly engaging said first pin members.

2. The invention according to claim 1 which further includes head indexing indicator means carried cooperatively by said fletching head and said fletching arm and locking means for selectively securing said rotary means and thereby in turn locking said head with respect to said fletching arm in accordance with selected lateral rela, ion hips indicated y a d he indexing means- 3. Fletchin g apparatus comprising:'

a frame structure having a horizontally disposed base portion,

a first supporting arm carried by said base portion and extending upwardly therefrom by a prede min d d s ance,

a second supporting arm spaced from said first arm and extending pw y th refrom by a distance significantly greater than said predetermined distance,

an elongated fletching arm supported between the upper portions of said first and second arms and having'a direction of elongation which is inclined at a fletching shaft angle with respect to said base portion where said fletching shaft angle approximately defines the direction of pointing'of an arrow being fletched,

a d flctching am h n a head. refer ncin planar surface disposed in a plane parallel to said direction of arrow pointing and inclined from the vertical at approximately 45,

a fletching clamp holding head including magnet means for releasably holding a vane clamp in an orientation whereby the vane is approximately parallel to said parallel shaft and disposed approximately at a plane inclined at approximately 45 to the vertical; and

a apparatus for slidingly adjustably supporting said head in juxtaposed relationship upon said referencing planar surface and including laterally stationary first pivot pin members projecting perpendicularly from and carried by said referencing clamp surface at longitudinally pa e Pein r o said head being apertured to form laterally extend ng slots for passing said pivot pin members therethrough,

second pivot pin members carried by said head at points thereon longitudinally closely spaced with respect to ones of said first pivot pin members,

manually grippable rotary members rotationally mounted on each of said second pivot pin members and being apertured at an elf-center point to receive one of said first pivot pin members, whereby rotation of said rotary members laterally positions th nd of s id e for p can precision position said head without reference to ex- I ternal instruments.

5. The invention according to claim 4 which further includes a nock receiver assembly also carried by said first supporting arm and adapted to receive and provide precision index rotation of said arrow shaft about its axis said nock receiver assembly including:

a manually rotatable nock indexing cylinder having a plurality of axially spaced, circumferentially aligned series of detents, individual ones of said detents being angularly spaced from others in its particular series by a predetermined angular distribution, the said angular distributions being different for different; ones of said plurality of series;

a like plurality of spring biased detent engaging balls each' axially aligned with respective ones of said series of detents; and

selector means externally operable for actuating a given one of the axially associated said series of detents and balls.

6. The invention according to claim 4 which further 3Q includes: a

a shaft holding cradling bracket carried also by the upper portion of said second supporting arm for cradling said arrow shaft therein with rotational freedom with respect thereto; and l 5/1959 itzenbu g r eaue-a-v- 262-48 ROBERT c. monDoN, Primary Examiner.

B. S. MOWRY, Assistant Examiner.

a neck receiver assembly also carried by said first sup- 

1. AN ARROW FLETCHING SYSTEM COMPRISING: A FRAME STRUCTURE HAVING, A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED BASE PORTION, A FIRST SUPPORTING ARM CARRIED BY SAID BASE PORTION AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM BY A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE, A SECOND SUPPORTING ARM DISPOSED FORWARDLY OF SAID FIRST ARM AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM BY A DISTANCE SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER THAN SAID PREDETERMINED DISTANCE, AN ELONGATED FLETCHING ARM SUPPORTED BETWEEN THE UPPER PORTIONS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND ARMS AND HAVING A DIRECTION OF ELONGATION WHICH IS INCLINED A FLETCHING SHAFT ANGLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID BASE PORTION, WHERE SAID FLETCHING SHAFT ANGLE APPROXIMATELY DEFINES THE DIRECTION OF POINTING OF AN ARROW BEING FLETCHED SAID FLETCHING ARM HAVING A HEAD REFERENCING PLANAR SURFACE DISPOSED IN A PLANE PARALLEL TO SAID DIRECTION OF ARROW POINTING AND INCLINED FROM THE VERTICAL BY APPROXIMATELY 45*; A FLETCHING HEAD, AND MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY SLIDINGLY SUPPORTING SAID HEAD ON SAID REFERENCING PLANAR SURFACE AND INCLUDING DISPOSED AT LONGITUDINALLY SPACED PORTIONS ALONG SAID ELONGATED FLETCHING ARM A PAIR OF PIVOT PIN MEMBERS WHOSE AXES ARE NORMAL TO SAID PLANAR SURFACE AND WHOSE LATERAL POSITION IS STATIONARY WITH RESPECT THERETO, A PAIR OF SECOND PIVOT MEMBERS RELATED ONE TO ONE TO SAID PIVOT PIN MEMBERS AND CARRIED BY SAID HEAD, EACH DISPOSED AT POINTS THEREON LONGITUDINALLY SEPARATED FROM SAID RELATED PIVOT PIN MEMBERS, AND ROTARY MEANS FOR LATERALLY MOVING INDIVIDUAL ENDS OF SAID HEAD ACROSS SAID PLANAR SURFACE, SAID ROTARY MEANS BEING CARRIED BY SAID HEAD AND PIVOTED BY SAID SECOND PIVOT MEMBERS AND SLIDINGLY ENGAGING SAID FIRST PIN MEMBERS. 